Willis the Pilot eBook

“It seems, then,” said the Pilot, “that
neither America nor England is to be our destination
after all. But never mind, there are no lack
of surgeons amongst the mounseers.”

“If we go on this way much longer,” said
Jack, sighing, “we shall be carried round the
world without arriving anywhere. Alas, my poor
mother!”

CHAPTER XXV.

DELHI—­WILLIAM OF NORMANDY AND KING JOHN—­ISABELLA OF BAVARIA AND JOAN
OF ARC—­POITIERS AND BOVINES—­HISTORY OF A GHOST, A GRIDIRON, AND A
CHEST OF GUINEAS.

At first the three adventurers were regarded as prisoners
of war; when, however, their entire history came to
be known, and their extraordinary migrations from
ship to ship authenticated, they were looked upon
as guests, and treated as friends.

“I thought I had only obtained possession of
an English cruiser,” said the captain; “but
I find I have also acquired the right of being useful
to you.”

The commander of the Boudeuse was a very different
sort of a person from Commodore Truncheon; the former
treated his men as if every one of them had a title
and great influence at the Admiralty, whilst the latter
swore at his crew as if the word of command could not
be understood without a supplementary oath. The
English commodore might be the better sailor of the
two, but certainly the French captain carried off
the palm as regards politeness, urbanity, and gentlemanly
bearing.

The wounds of Fritz and Jack were healing rapidly
under the skilful treatment of the French surgeon,
and, with a lift from Willis, they were able to walk
a portion of the day on deck. With reviving health,
their cheerful hopes of the future returned, their
dormant spirits were re-awakened, and their minds
regained their wonted animation.

“The corvette spins along admirably,”
said the Pilot, “and is steering straight for
the Bay of Biscay.”

“Ah!” said Jack sighing, “it is
very easy to steer for a place, but it is not quite
so easy to get there. I am sick of your friend
the sea, Willis; and would give my largest pearl for
a glimpse of a town, a village, or even a street.”

“If you want to see a street in all its glory,
Master Jack, you must try and get the captain to alter
his course for Delhi.”

“But I should think, Willis, that there is nothing
in the street-scenery of Delhi to compare with the
Boulevards of Paris, Regent-street in London, or the
Broadway of New York.”

“Beg your pardon there, Master Jack; I know
every shop window in Regent-street; I have often been
nearly run over in the Broadway, and can easily imagine
the turn out on the Boulevards; but they are solitudes
in comparison with an Indian street.”

“How so, Willis?”

“Well, it is not that there are more inhabitants,
nor on account of the traffic, for no streets in the
world will beat those of London in that respect—­it
is because the people live, move, and have their being
in the streets; they eat, drink, and sleep in the streets;
they sing, dance, and pray in the streets; conventions,
treaties, and alliances are concluded in the streets;
in short, the street is the Indians’ home, his
club, and his temple. In Europe, transactions
are negotiated quietly; in India, nothing can be done
without roaring, screaming, and bawling.”